Washing machine



WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 23, 1928 Tv-raeg/Eyr Patented June 11, 1929.

PATENT oFFlcE.

H ERMAN C. HIRSCYHY, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.'

WASHING MACHINE.

Applieation med January 23, 192s. seriarm. 243,830.

My invention relates to the type of washing machine shown and described in -my pending application for Letters Patent of the U. S. Serial Number 737,832, filed 'Sep' tember 15, 1924. l

The claims of this pending application are directed to improved means for mounting the agitator blades to the end that these blades can be easily and quickly seated in the under side of the agitator disk and as readily removed for repair for renewal purposes.

My present invention contemplates a simple inexpensive means for so mounting the agitator blades and a means that will form a very simple but substantial support for the blades, and at the same time will not add materially to the expense of manufacture of the agitator.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions or combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. p

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification: y

Figure 1 is a sectional View of a tub and agitator embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the agitator;

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detailed view illustrating a modified construction of the blade supporting means; i

Figure 5 is a similar view showing another modification;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of still another modified means forv supporting the blade;

Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view showing still another modification in` the form of the blade supporting fingers or tongues.

In the drawing, 2 represents a washing machine tub, preferably of sheet metal, though any other suitable material may be used, and the tub may be of any suitable size. It is preferably of the form shown in Figure 1 with an upper portion 3 having inwardly projecting walls overhanging the interior of the tub and forming an opening 4 which` when the tub is in use, is closed by a suitable cover (not shown). Within the tub, I provide an upright standard 5 secured to the tub bottom by suitable means such as lock nut 6 and an interiorly arranged tlange (not shown).

A suitable stuffing box 7 is provided at the upper end of the standard and a drive shaft 8 projects up through the standard and the stufing box, and has an upper portion 9 preferably rectangular in cross section at the base of which rectangular por-` tion is a circular flange 10. The driving shaft may be brought down through the top of the tub if preferred. I merely illustrate one arrangement in this case as both methods are common in Washing machines.`

A cone l1 encircles the lower portion'of the drive shaft and is seated on the bottom of the tub, this cone forming the subjectmatter of U.n S. Patents No. 1,336,781 and N o. 1,349,338, and I make no claim broadly to the same herein. I

A block 12 has a socket 13 to receive the upper end of the drive shaft, a shoulder 14 being formed in the walls of the socket to rest on the flange 10 and support the block for oscillation with the drive Shaft, this shaft having a reciprocating oscillating movement to impart the desired stroke to the agitator. l5 represents a disk preferably of metal, and 16 is a dome thereon overhanging the central opening 17 of the disk. A boX,18 is centrally mounted on the dome and depends therefrom, with parallel side walls adapted to fit snugly the correspondingly shaped walls of the block 12 and allow the disk or agitator to ris f and fall in the operation of the machine and `adjust itself vertically to the volume of clothes beneath it in the tub.

When there is a considerable body of clothes i in the tub, the agitator will be raised, and if only a few clothes are being washed, then the agitator will automatically descend with in the tub. The block 12 is preferably pro vided with a lifting finger piece 19 by means of which the agitator may be conveniently handled to place it in its working position in the tub or remove it therefrom; While the box 18 is free to rise and fall on the block 12 in the operation of the agitator, its Walls will be at all times in contact with the block and a rocking movement will be; imparted to the agitator at all points in its vertical moveo ment. Whenever desired, the entire device may be easily and quickly detached from the 0n the under side of the agitator disk, l provide a series of seats or holders for the agitator blades. There are preferably four of these holders extending radially on the agitator disk, but this number may be varied if desired and preferably these holders are equally spaced apart on the disk. e

Referring now to Figure 2, the holder proper comprises a radial opening which 1 Will designate by reference numeral 20, the same numeral being used for all of the holders as they are of the same construction in this figure. The holders are preferably open at their inner ends to allow the convenient insertion of the agitator blades, and as shown plainly in Figure 1, a depending Wall 21 is provided at the outer end of each .holder to form a stop against which the end of the blade is seated when in its working position.

lVhen the agitator is `in operation centrifugal force Will tend to hold the blades outwardly against the Walls 2l and the inward movement of the blades to a point where they might become separated from the holders willbe prevented by the cone l1, the Wall of which will be adjacent the inner portions of the blades as shown plainly in Figure 1. Upon removing the agitator disk from the machine it will be a simple matter to release any one or all of the blades from the holders and detach them from the disk should repairs or substitution be necessary.

'llhe agitator disk preferably has openings formed therein at this point with cross bars 22 connecting the side walls of the openings Aas shown'plainly in figures l and 4, and on each side of these openings, l provide inwardly turned converging flanges 23, having lugs or tongues 24 formed thereon at intervals. The blades which 1 prefer to provide in connection with this agitator, l designate by reference nuineral25, and they are preferably of the shape shown in Figure 1, having downwardly and outwardly inclined lower edges 26 and provided at their upper edges with heads 2 having flaring walls, their angle of divergence corresponding substantially to the angle of the flanges 23 so that when the heads of the blades ai'e slipped between these flanges they will fit snugly against them and be firmly seated at this point, while the principal part of the blade will depend within the tub in position to engage the clothes. The blades are made of any suitable material, generallyof rubber, having a certain degree of flexibility, but lt do not confine myself to this material as any suitable substance may be used and the blades may be flexible or not as preferred and their shape may be varied though l prefer to use substantially the form shown herein. `When the blades have been inserted into the holders, the tongues or lugs 23 are squeezed together so that they will grip and firmly hold the blades in the operation of the machine. 0f course whenever desired, the tongues may be pressed apart and the blades easily and quickly removed from their seats in the agitator.

1n Figure t lt have shown a slight modification which consists in providing a rigid flange 28 on one side of the holder opening, while the other side is equipped with the flexible tongues 29 adapted to be pressed inwardly to grip the head of the blade and clamp it securely against the opposite flange.

ln Figure 5 l have shown a plate 30 provided with slots 'l to receive adjusting screws 32, said plate when the screws are loosened, being capable of adjustment so that the lugs or tongues 24 thereon can be moved towards or from the correspond in g lug` oi' tongue on the other side of the holder seat.

ln Figure G l have shown another modification which consists in providing a channel bar 33 having converging walls 84C between which the agitator blade is held: Suitable-means such as a bolt 35 passes through the channel and is provided with a lock nut 36 by means of which the bolt can hc tightened or loosened in mounting the channel bar on the agitator disk or removing it therefrom.

ln Figure 7 the seat for the agitator blade is shown with converging walls 3i', each provided with a point or brad 38, which when the walls ai'e pressed together, will dig into the head of the agitator blade and hold it securely. lVlienever these walls are separated, the points or bi'ads will be removed from the surface of the blade to permit convenient sepai'ation from the agitator.

By making the blade holders in the form shown herein and described, the user of the washing machine can with comparatively little ellort, remove a worn or broken blade and substitute another therefor, and this may be accomplished with little eil'ort and by the. use of a single tool.

rlhe blades as shown plainly in Figure 1 depend a considerable distance within the tube and during the oscillation of the disk will engage the clothes and move them back and forth in substantially the same manner as shown and fully described in my applicat-ion No. 737,832 above referred to. ln various Ways the details of the holders and the manner of fastening the blades therein may be modified and.still be within the scope of my present invention.

1 claim as my invention:

l. An agitator member having a pair of elements opposingly related to define a way, substantially parallel with the face of the agitator member, at least one of said elements being adjustable to change the width of the way, and a finger having a portion lying within the way and elampingly engaged by said elements.

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2. An agitator member having a pair of elements opposingly related to define a way, substantially parallel with the face of the agitator member, at least one of said elements being adjustable to change the Width of theway, and a finger having a portion ly` ing within the way and clampingly engaged by said elements and secured thereby against movement lengthwise of the way, and said elements being formed to secure the inger against movement in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto.

3. An agitator member having a pair of elements opposingly related to define a Way, substantially parallel with the face of the agitator member, at least one of said elements being adjustable to change the width of the way, and a finger having a portion lying withinv the way and clampingly engaged by said elements, and secured thereby against movement lengthwise of the way, and said elements being convergent in a direction away from said agitator member to secure the finger against movement ina direction substantially perpendicular thereto.

4. An agitator-member having a pair of elements opposingly related to define a yway, substantially parallel with the face 0f the agitator member, at least one of said elements being adjustable to change the width of the way, and a finger having a portion lying within the way and clampingly engaged by said elements and secured thereby against movement lengthwise of the way, at least one of the elements being formed v from bendable material to permit way widthadjustment and obtain clamping action.

5. An agitator disk having a way formed by opposed elements at least one of said elej compressive action of the Way-forming elements.

6. An agitator disk having a way formed by opposed elements, at least one of said elements being adjustable to change the width of the way, and a finger of compressible material having a portion lying within said elements being integral with said agi.

tator member andat teast one of the ele-v ments being formed to permit way widthadjustment, and obtain clamping action.

y8. An agitator member having a pair of elements opposingly related to define a way,

at least one of the elements being adjustable to change the width of the way, and a finger having a portion lying within the way and clampingly engaged by said velements and secured thereby against movement lengthwise of the way, and said elements beinglformed to secure the finger against movement in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto.

9. An agitator member having a pair of elements arranged on one of its faces, said,

elements opposingly related to define a way, at least one of the lelements being adjusted to change the width ofthe Way, and a finger having a portion lying within the Iway and clampingly engaged by said elements to extend in direction substantially perpendicular to the face of the agitator member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of January, 1928.

HERMAN C. HIRSCHY. 

